Automobile signal



March 29 s. A. ALA? AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL Filed Feb. 21, y1.923 3Sheets-Sheet Q f l ,f2/' j 6 6 IML lSQA. wrzz March 29., 1927.

s. A. WALL. ET AL j AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL FiledFeb. 2l. 1925 3 Sheets-Shed.2

1 vlnanndllllannlnnnnnv March 29 1927 s. A. WALL ET A1.

' AUTMOBILE SIGNAL Filed Feb. 21.- 192:5

'22 a@ Z3 I attolawug! Patented Mar. 2 9, 1927.

UNITED STATES P sAMUnL linens WALL' AND EDWIN ANnnRsoN Born, onGREENVILLE, sou'rn j CAROLINA. l

AUTOMOBILE s reNAr.. 7

I c Application lcd February 21, 1923. Serial No. 620,396.

rElhe present invention relates t .signals for' motor vehicles. andparticularly to electrlcally controlled signals.

Une object of the vinvention is to provide a device which includes aparking or safety light as well asiight and left turning 'signals andstop andback orreve'rse signals,

all on the same kpanel i .i

Another object of the invention4 is to come bine allI these lightson asingle frame hous-f' ing, which is also adapted to carythe licenseplatein such a manner that it canbe' illuminated at night from'theparking light.

mount thelights in such a manner'that one vot them, preferably the-baclror reverse. signal lamp, can be detached and used .as anemergency' lamp during the'repair of the vehicleand sor that itcan reachany part thereof.

arrange-the signaling devicefinl such a man rear View of anautomobile'with the signalingdevice in positionp'f Y Figure 2 is alwirirrg' diagram Afor the signals;. y v

i Figure 3is a vertical section of the casing along line 3-3 of Figurel, with one part removed and shown in dottedlines;` Figure-4 is 'aisimilar viewrto Figure 3 showingthe upperpart removedfroin said Figure3;

Figure 5'is a section of, a switch usedin connection witlrthesignals;A 1Figure 6 is a tiansversesection along G-Q-( of Figure 5; '#1

l,Figure 7 isa'viewot the casing, as seen from the forward endl of thevehicle;

Figure "8 is-"a "horizoiitaljsection along line 8 -3013Figure?, s

FigtreQ is a top-planl viewl of with sonieparts removed;

FigureIGis a transverse section of the lower iframe seen in Figure3;'and 1. f I

yFigure 4 Figure 11 is a fragmentary top plan view of Figure 6.

lin the drawings, reference numeral rep--A resents the rear part of anautomobile, and

reference iuineral l1 represents one of the wheel fenders to which thesupport-"12 of the signaling ldevice is rigidly secured.

The support 12 consists of a'- lower `frame 1-3 and an upper frame 14preferably made of round wire about a` quarter of an inch in 'diameterto forni respectively tyvorectangu- 'lar structures. V 'seen in'fFigures3, 7 and 8,"consi 'sts of a wire S511-anothergobject-of the-invention'to] The lower frame 13, best 1 5 bent into two horizontal and twovertical sides forming 'a square, theends of the wire beingweldedtogether to provide a'good joint. To` this frame 13 is secured,prefersides of the frame, as at'16, a' cover plate 17 fr stamped out ofsome light thin sheet inetal A 'urther-object'jof theV invention is tosuch `as aluminum and formed. with four :seiiiispheiical pockets 18, 19,2O and 21, three ner, that anyone ofthese'signa-ls can'be used sseparately to' give-the f desired warning and i ofwhichfltl, 19 and 20,constitute reflectors forelectric. lamps, but the fourth. one, 21,constitutes 'a receptacle for'the detachable reflector 22 which has abeaded edge 23 ladapted-to engage infa corresponding groove 24 aroundthe edge of the pocket. A. pair ot' swiveled catches 49 are provided onthe plate 17 so as to firmly hold the reflector l therein. .Each of thepockets 18, 19 and 20 is provided with a central socket25 for receiving-a'contact plug 26 for the electric `bulb 273 the plug entering fromtlieforward end of the socket 25, sothat theybulb 27 may be attachedthereto thepocket. j A n The pocket 21 \is similarly provided with ashank 2 8, which, however, is 'of larger diameter than they socket 25land around ifrom the inside of which an extension sleeve. oradapter 139is crimpe or soldered.' rlFhis adapter is considerably longer than vthesocket 25 in order to -receive the shank 29gextending from the center ofthe reflector' 22. With the reflector ever, the bulb 32. is used as anemergency.

'light,'fit is removed from the pocket 21, to-

-gether witlithe reflector 22 and an exten- `sion cord 33 with itsplugseand 35 insorted between the socket` 31 .and the plug 30.. The

extension cord 33 is ofsufticient length 'to permit the lamp to becarried all around the vehicle and when detached is deposited :withother accessories in the tool chest ot the vehicle. f. The trame 13 isclosed by a door 36, which is preferably `pressed out ot sheet metal,such as aluminum, and has an open tace 37. The inner edge ot this `dooris turned back and beaded as at 38 and its 'outer edge similarlyturnedbackas at 39, and a glass 40 'is pressed againstthe inner bead 38,as best seen in Fig'- -vure 10. Straps 41 are for this purposeprovidedinseveral places along the-edges ot the glass'and soldered to the doortrame 36, and 'bent over the edges of the glass-40, as at 42 in'Fig. 10.On the` face ott the cover platejl'i' of the'panel is cemented, or inl.any

other suitable manner secured, a piece `of felt or lining '43 withcircular .openingsfor the pockets so that when the door; 36 is closed,the elt or lining 43 presses against .the glass to provide a perfectlytight closure tor the casing, see Figure 3. At the same time'itfurnishes a sott backing for theglass preventing itsbreaking fromvibration. This provides Vaccordin ly a dust-proof, water proof, andshock-.a soi'bing closure.

Thev dooris carried on hinges 44, which referablyconsistot narrow stripsot metal entaround the :bottom wire 15 and riveted or braced tothe-lower side of the door. It

`is' evidBlbthatinorder .to wind the hinge around thiswire, the coverplate 17 has to be cutaway alength corresponding to vthe width of eachhinge.

Asthe door is made to open'downwa'rds, latches 45 are provided at theupper side of the door. These latches are preferably made of double bent,pieces of plate Jforming a ,bracket 46 riveted or brazed to the toppor#v tion of-the'door and carrying` a hook 47 adapted to engage overthe top edge ofthe frame13,fas best seen in Figure 3. The outer end otthe hook 47`is threaded tov receive a wing nut 48 vand Vthe hook 47 titswith suttivcient looseness in the bracket 46, so that when the wing nut48 isf-partly unscrewed, the hoolr will disengage from the trame andpermit the swinging down ot the door 36;4

Forthe purpose 'of securing the trame'lto 'l the rear"`fender of anautomobile, an arched rod 50 is securedv preferably' by` spot welding tothe bottom of the frame 13. .This rod car ries near each end, `a bracket'or clamp 51,

which is preferably made o`t a late, bent around the rod 50 andadjustably eld inpo'- sitin by a bolt 52.- At the lower end of each'clamp is provided an aperture or slot adapted to receive a' clampingbolt 53 carried in a suitable aperture in the fender 1 1, as seen inFigure 1, and'adjustable to tenders ot dif-V ferent width and shape.4

It evident that instead of attaching ,the

57 for securingl the brace 58, which extends downwardly to connect in asimilar manner with an eyelet 59 turnished in the middle of the archedrod 50 at the bottom of the trame'. The brace 58 lhas an upwardextension 60, to which reference the description.

vThe top trame 14', which for the purpose of facilitating manufacture,is preferably made as a separate unit, but' which could be made in onewith the bottom Atrame 13, is constructed in the same manner as has beendescribed `with regard to the latter. .A rod 61 is-.bent

to'v tormtliesquare or rectangular, frame with an arm 62 extending tooneside and anarcuate upward projection 63. This frame 14 .is covered -`bya plate 64 having its edges crimped aroundtlie four sides of Athe framein the same manner as already described with regard to trame 13, theplate also covering the upward projection 63.`,where it, however, isstamped out to'turnish a central opening 65. 'In this central opening islinserted .a

tongues 67 engaging inl corresponding slits willbe made further on in`sleeve 66. secured' in 4the, opening by small in the plate. This sleeveconstitutes a lamp of the automobile and a white lens 69 facingforwardly thereofand carried in an inserted 4ring 169. At the bottom ofthe-sleeve 66, a window. 70 is cut for permitting the. light to comethrough *to illuminate the license plate 71, A which extendsall, the wayacross .the frame to the end of the arm 62, and this license plate issecured by means of a pair of holder with a red lens 68 facingrearwardly hooks'ZQ engagi-nnf around the top rod of the frame and extening through slits 73 in the license `plate to engage with wing nuts 74.Byturning .the wing nuts a quarter of a turn, so thatthey stand inhorizontal position, it ywill then'abe possible to detach the licenseplate, which can then slipoventlie nuts -74 1 with its slits 73-provide'd forithis purpose. Similarly to the lower frame 13, the upgframe 14 1s provided with A'a bottom fare rod '75 having side eyelets 76corresponding` to eyes 55 inthe bottoi'nrame, towhich it 'is secured bymeans 'of bolts 77. This arched'- rod has. also ya centralgeyelet78,to'which the lower end of a brace 79.is secured by, a-

vbolt 80. This-'brace' elxtends upwardly in slant-ing direction to thecentral eyelet pro 4 vided in thearched rod 82 at the top of the trame.'These two arched rods 75 and 82" are lirmly secured to the trame byVspot weldiso ing, or in any other suitable manner.V Thev forward endbeingsecured to the fender 11 by an adjustable clamp 84. This adjustableclamp is secured in the crown of the fender 11 and has an' openingrunning right through the same for receiving the end of the distance rod83, the latter being secured rigidly therein by a set screw 85.' In thismanner the -device can be adjusted fordifferent shapes and sizes otfenders, so that'the disltance rod 83 can be secured nearer or furtheraway, from its free end in order to carry the panel or casing 12 inupright position, as seen in Figure 1.

With particular referenceto Figure 1, the

glass sh'eet 40 in the door of the lower frame' 1s preferablymade opaquewith the exception `.of fourcircul'ar fields in front of the lampscarried in the frame. The left bot-` tom eld 86, as seen in thisfigure,has' a red back-ground with a white han-d shown; thereon pointing totheleft of the frame-,the

right bottom field 87 has also a red 'back` ground with a white handpointing to the right. :The upper right field 88`has also a redback-ground with a' white hand having 'fnge'rsspreadout to indicatestop, while the upper left field 89 has 'a Ired' band across `the samewith the word Back white letters thereon.

in the reflector 2 0 burns, the left hand field 94, as best seen inFigure 5. three binding posts 95,96 and 97 (see Fig.

86 will-indicate a lett hand turn; with the bulb in reflector 19burning, the right field 87 will indicate a right turn; while with thebulb in'refiector -18 burning .the upper right hand field 88 willindicate stop or slow, andthe circle 89 will indicate back or re` verse,when the bulb `in reector 22 is burn-j ing. Instead of using hands forindicating the directions, it is evident that arrows may be used, or insome instances the words Right, Left and Stop, may be shown in Ithesecircles, such modifications *being*v covered by the scope of the claims,Y

In Figures 45 'and 6 is illustrateda threeway switch 90 for controllingthe signals shown in the fields 86,87 and 89.. j This consists of acasing 91,*which` is carried in a bracket 92, attached by means of anadjustable clamp 93 preferably to the steering post 2) connectingrespectively with the lamps of the signals 86, 87 and 89 by means ofconductors 98,99 and 100. @n these binding posts'are contact fingers'101, 102 .and 103 respectively, and centrally in the casing 91Accordingly when the 'bulb The casing hasl is carried, on a universaljoint, including.

two journal pins 104 and 134 placed at right angles to each other, a.switch handle 105, which projects through the T-slot 106 furnished inthe top ot the casing 91. The switch rod 105 is accordingly guided tooscillate to left and right. The contact blades 107 at the lower end ofthe handle will on a sideways motion ot the handle 105, come in contactrespectively with the fingers 101 and 102 ot the corresponding signals86 andv 87, and when tilted backwards in the slot 106, the bladev 107will come in contact with the lingers 103 for the signal 89. The topcover 108 of the casing is ot spherical shape and at each end of theslot 106 is provided a small cup-shaped projection 109. 0n the stem 110of the switch handle 105 is carried atsmall semispherical cap 111 withits conve):` surface'upwards and engaging with its concave side with acoiljspring 112 wound around `the stem" 110 and abutting with its lowerend agai'nst'a Shoulder thereon so as to force the cap upwardly 'Ton thehandle.

By means of this arrangement, thel handle is'accordingly firmly held inits central upright position, or in either one of its tilted positions,when contacting with the fingers 101, 102 and 103 respectively. Itmighthere be notedthat the three-way switch is mounted in such a manneron or vnear the steering post that the operator swings the switch rod105 to the left to operate the left turn signal; to the right for theright turn signal and pullsthe rod back .for operating the back signal.In thismanner the signaling is done practically automatically by theoperator, as the swinging ofthe switclrr'od in the direction indicatedis the most natural thingrfor him to do. 4

To complete vthe circuits for the signal vlights 86, 87 and 89, a wireA113 connects each of' them with the ground 121, and a conductor 114leads from the battery 115 to the switch handle 105. AThe grounding ofthe lamps 27 for the signal lights 86, 87 and 88` is preferably'made intheir sockets, while the bulb 3.2 of the back signal 89 is 'i rgroundedin the sleeve'28. The head lights 118 (see Fig. 2) are also included inthe circuit through the main switch 116 which connects with the batteryby -means cfa conductor 117, land by conductors 119 and 120 to theground121. With the conductors 119 and 120 is'conne'cted. the lamp forthe parking signal or tail: light, or safety lamp 68, which acordinglyis always burning simultaneously with =the'head lights, In

order that the tail light may be used inde-.

pendently of the head lights when the latter are turned' out, by openingthe main switch 116, a tail light switch 122 is furnished between theconductor 119 and the conductor 117 leading from the battery through a'wire n spring 126 and extending in the path of an switch 124, whichconnects lthrough the con-v I actuatingV member 127 clamped on the brakerod 128.A -It w ill be evident thatwhen the brake rod 128 travelsforward or in the -dlrection ofarrow X in Figure 2, the4 actu- A atinmember 127 will throw-thelever 125, whic is grounded, over to connectwith the ductor 129 with one side of the lamp of signal 88, while theYconductor 130 connects said lamp with the battery 115.. Directly thebrakerod'128 is released, thespring 126 will open the switch. 124turning out the light: of-the stop signal 88. i

The use of this .devicefurnishes a' very complete signaling system for amotor ve hicle, Whichcarries a panel for the"safety scribed.'

lamp showing red to the rear and VWhite to theffront of the vehicle, andwhichlight ma be controlled independently ofv the head.

lig ts thereof. It further carriesleft turni and right turn signals, aswell as stop or islow signal and a back signal, and

lastly the panel is adapted to carry the license plate .in a suitableposition to be al.' ways. illuminated, whenever the safety" lamp'isburningsothatthe number ofthe licenseacanclearly be' seen.

In addition the back 'sig-nal lamp. may, be detached `frolnxits -socketin the panel after lopening the door 'and'inserting an extension cablebetween the l amp 'socket and the contact plug 30` carried in the sleeve28 in the panel.V f

In. case thefour signals carried in"the lower frame are not` needed, thesafet lamp and 4the vlicense plate carried on t e upperfrarne 'and whichare compulsory, can be attached aloneto the 'fender or the spare tirecarrier on Vthe"vehi.cle, ror in case that' a safety lamp and vlicanse-piletaare already attached to the Lvehicl`e,.. the lower framewith the four signal lamps maybe furnished and4 securedto the 'fenderjasalready de- ;Agreat advantage is gained byi having the reflector A22with its lamp 32 detachable from the panel, so as to be used as anemergency lamp. in case of accidentor repair tothevehicle, as thislalnpcan be carried all around the same. 4lt is`evident that any one of thefour lamps may be used in this manner, but itis considered that the backor reverse signal 8 9 is the least important-` and might be dispensedwith, as it might' happen, that the lamp were broken, when carriedaround the vehicle. 'Astheframes are made of ordinarywire,

which is bent and spot welded in as few places asA possible and as thesheetl metal v 1,622,3ei

plates 17, and 64 can be easily stamped ,outf

and crimped around the frame sides, the cost down toa minimum4 and thewhole panel made very inexpensive.

`As already described, light wire'15 of about a quarter of an inchdiameter is reera-bly usedxfor the frame, but it is evident thatmetaltubing to make the frame still lighter may also be used.

For the iields86, 87, 8 8 and 89 showing signals, red colored glass ispreferably use upon which the directions for left and right handy turn,stop andv back may be produced .by etchingv or -sand' blasting,

4of manufacture of the device is brought so that the'signals show whiteon the red back-ground.

With regard pointed out thatthis combines in itself the ordinary taillightshowing red to the rear of the vehicle through lens 68 and aforwardly directedwhite light throu h the lens 69,.so that this is theonly lamp t atneed to burn,

" when the vehicle 1s parked along the curb ofthe street, as ity definesthe Width of the 5 A'fmnfroln the 'curbin both directions of the road.i,

"" 'fOwing tothe fact that the back signal has a red band or fieldacross the-same, sulfi- "cient li ht will ordinarily radiate through thewhiteseg'ments above and below this "band when backing. thel car. If,however, -the vehicle has to be backed in a dark and dangerous place,more light will be furnished in the rearward direction by opening `thisis a combination tail light showing red to the rear, with a arkng lightshowing white in -the forwar direction from the to the safety lampl 66,it is Asame' bulb when the car is parked. This combination safety lightreplaces the reg-` .ular compulsory'tail and license platelight. Thiscombination lamp can be used not onl )l0 as a parking light, but also asa safety light-when the car is' in motion et night, be-

cause this light as seen by an approaching driver deiines the exactwidth ofthe carat its widest point, and yon the dangerf or left side ofthe car, the head lightsy being 1 placed nearer vthe center of the cardo not clearly define the full xwidththereof. The

safetyV light may therefore prevent side swiping, and also preventapproaching drivers from running olf' the road by allowing more roadwayVthan necessary when they-are uncertain as to the width of the car.

, Havin thus described the'inventionwhat ,125

is claime as new is:l i' v '1.f A signal for vehicles comprising an up#right open wire frame, a platejsecur'ed` on saldframe andjprovided withsignal areas, lamps carried by the late-inthe signal areas of the'ysame, Ya oor hinged onthe frame having transparent fields registeringwith respective areas of the plate, arched rods extending rearwardlyfrom thetop and bottom of said frame, bracesrextending between andrigidly secured to said arched rods, and means connected with the bracesand the arched rods for securing the frame on a Vehicle.

2.' A signal for vehicles and lower open frames, frame, 'signal lamps'onsaid plate, display elements on the upper frame, arched rods projectingfrom the top and bottom of each frame, the lower rod on the upper frameand comprising upper a plate on the lower the upper rod on the lowerframe being provided with vertically registering openings, securingbolts passed through said openings, braces extending between the lupperand lower rods on each frame, a brace eX- tending between the upper rodon the lower frame and the upper rod on the upper frame, a securingdevice' extending from the vupper arched rod on the upper frame, andsecuringI devices on the lower end of the lower frame.

/In testimony whereof we atlix our signatures.

SAMUEL ADAMS WALL L. s.] EDWIN ANDERSON BOYD.

